A CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed Sunday in southern Afghanistan killing two soldiers of the Oregon National Guard assigned to Detachment 1, Company D, 113th Aviation Battalion based out of Pendleton. Two soldiers from the Nevada Army National Guard and an active duty soldier were also killed.

The names of the soldiers will be released by the Department of Defense after the next of kin have been notified.

The crew had transported troops into an operation and were departing the operations area when the helicopter crashed. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

The 113th Avn. Bn. is headquartered out of Stead, Nev. The Pendleton detachment mobilized in January for a one year deployment.

The Oregon National Guard will release more information as it becomes available.